


Earthbreaker

by LizBee



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: DysFUNctional families, Gen, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Sisterhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-19
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-09 12:48:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1983582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizBee/pseuds/LizBee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Lin and Su, reconciliation means addressing their mother's failings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Earthbreaker

"She never came," said Lin suddenly. 

"Who?" Su asked.

"Mom."

In the interests of sibling reconciliation, Su and Lin had closed themselves in Su's study after dinner with a bottle of raspberry wine. A few glasses, Su had judged, and Lin would be open to seeing her niece's and nephews' baby pictures. Instead, she had become morose and distant. 

"Who never came?" Su asked again.

"Mom." 

"You want to talk about it?"

Lin shrugged.

"I lost my bending. I spent three days in an Equalist prison, and I only got out because Tenzin's child-bride came to my rescue. The city was in chaos. I needed to keep it together for the Avatar. It was hard, and I wanted to see her." 

"It sounds terrible." 

"I sent messages. Everywhere. No response. I started to wonder if she was dead." 

"She didn't even reply?"

"She sent Zuko." 

"Oh." 

"He turned up at my place one day, a week before we left for the South Pole. Dragon in my courtyard. Made me tea. Told me stories. Said Mom had sent him."

"You know what a coward she is about illness."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't sick. I was in perfect health, except for the earth being dead beneath me." Lin drained her cup, refilled it. "I'm used to taking care of myself. I just … didn't want to." 

"I should have been there. I heard what had happened -- I even looked at airship schedules."

"Not as if I could have attacked you." Lin paused. "I'm not saying I wouldn't have tried." 

"You still have those knives Mai taught you to make?"

"My aim's pretty good, even without bending." Lin perked up slightly. "Actually, you know, I think I _would_ have attacked you."

"I'm glad the thought makes you feel better." Su wondered if she could risk a hug. She settled for taking Lin's hands. "I'm not trying to excuse Mom, but I know she's always been proud of you. She's just not very good at showing it." 

"Yeah, well, the kid who makes the most trouble gets all the attention. Or so Bumi says." 

"I can't believe you're on speaking terms with Tenzin again. Korra says his kids adore you." 

Lin shuddered slightly, but said, "They're not too bad. Once they're toilet trained and can have a conversation." 

"They're almost like people?" Su stretched, putting her feet on the polished metal table. "You know, the twins have been getting rather wild lately. They're on their best behaviour for the Avatar, otherwise you'd have seen a lot more of Zaofu's police. A summer with strict Aunt Lin might do them good." 

"Who exactly are you trying to punish here?"

"You're right. A few weeks with you, they'd join a triad." 

Lin snorted. "You think I wouldn't arrest them? I practically raised _you_ \--"

"And now you hate kids!"

"My first year as police chief, Councilman Hong's daughter was arrested for taking bribes. And he thought he could talk me into dropping charges." 

"The creepy old guy who liked to call Mom in the middle of the night?"

"His brother. No better." 

"I'm amazed he let you keep your badge."

"It was close. Listen." Lin turned to face Su. "Whatever Mom said, what she did for you left the honest cops screwed for the next few years. We're still dealing with the consequences now. A few weeks ago, I had Mako in jail because your good buddy Varrick made it look like he was taking bribes. That's the other side of Mom's legacy." 

"You think I should have gone to jail? Lin, I was _sixteen_."

"You wouldn't have gone to jail. Mom could have paid a fancy lawyer to get you out of it, and you'd have been sent to Gaoling just the same."

"And that's your idea of justice?"

"No. But it's better than the alternative." Lin reached for her cup. "It's not you I blame."

"Anymore."

"We both know what Mom's ego is like. Hell, you and I are only here because she decided she needed to pass on her legacy." Lin curled up, clutching her cup in both hands. "I'm tired of being angry. I just … wish she had been there." 

Su put her arm around Lin and shifted so that her big sister's head rested on her shoulder. Growing up, Lin had been a firm, reassuring presence, filling the spaces left by their mother's absences. Never questioning them. Rarely arguing. 

No wonder she was angry.

The sob wracked Lin's whole body. Su rescued the cup and set it aside, and wrapped her arms around her sister while she wept.

 

_end_


End file.
